City Ballet The Podcast
Welcome to City Ballet The Podcast, an exploration of New York City Ballet where we'll journey through our history, delve into our new and existing repertory, and reveal insider tidbits. Each season of City Ballet The Podcast features episodes that span three topics: New Combinations hosted by Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, Hear the Dance hosted by dance educator and former NYCB dancer Silas Farley, and See the Music hosted by Music Director Andrew Litton.
info_outline
Episode 132: The Rosin Box: First Steps
04/01/2025
Episode 132: The Rosin Box: First Steps
We're back at the Rosin Box for another candid conversation with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz. This week, they're joined by Corps de Ballet Member and budding choreographer Laine Habony to talk about NYCB's First Steps program. This singular initiative gives current company dancers the opportunity to create new works on their peers, providing a professional cast and environment for first-time or early-career dancemakers. As Laine shares, this eye-opening experience provided both an education in what it takes to move to the front of the room and the validation that accompanies seeing the steps she'd envisioned come to life. (43:04) Edited by Gus Reed Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/35942990
info_outline
Episode 131: New Combinations: Paquita
02/03/2025
Episode 131: New Combinations: Paquita
Host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is back with another intimate New Combinations conversation, joined this week by Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. They discuss the origins—both within history and in Ratmansky's own career—of the Petipa ballet Paquita, excerpts of which provide the foundations for his newest ballet for the company. Ratmansky explains his use of Balanchine's Minkus Pas de Trois in revisiting this "feast of classical dancing," and the ways in which his work brings extensive research into conversation with the vocabulary of today's dancers. (30:45) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co.
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/35127640
info_outline
Episode 130: Hear the Dance: The Cage
01/27/2025
Episode 130: Hear the Dance: The Cage
Hear the Dance host Silas Farley is joined by Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan and former Soloists Repertory Director Jean-Pierre Frohlich and Repetiteur Diana White for a conversation about Jerome Robbins' The Cage. From its "empowering" choreography to the manners in which the relationship between the Mother and the Novice mimic that of senior and newer members of the company, they describe the unique qualities of this ballet beloved by dancers and audiences alike. (59:01 Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto in D for String Orchestra, "Basler" (1946) by Igor Stravinsky Performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: 1. Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill 2. Jerome Robbins, by Himself: Selections from His Letters, Journals, Drawings, Photographs, and an Unfinished Memoir by Jerome Robbins, Edited by Amanda Vaill 3. Jerome Robbins: A Life in Dance by Wendy Lesser 4. Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934 by Stephen Walsh 5. Stravinsky: The Second Exile, France and America, 1934-1971 by Stephen Walsh 6. The Stravinsky Festival of the New York City Ballet by Nancy Goldner
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/35019720
info_outline
Episode 129: New Combinations: Mystic Familiar
01/20/2025
Episode 129: New Combinations: Mystic Familiar
In this episode of New Combinations, host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is joined by Resident Choreographer Justin Peck in the lead-up to the world premiere of his latest work for the company, Mystic Familiar. Peck shares the thematic underpinnings of this "younger brother" to his 2017 ballet The Times Are Racing, which brings together many of the same artists as that earlier work. They discuss the ways in which Mystic Familiar celebrates the dancers' communal energy in an anthem-like The Four Temperaments for the 21st Century. (35:23) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/34914040
info_outline
Episode 128: Hear the Dance: Concerto Barocco
01/13/2025
Episode 128: Hear the Dance: Concerto Barocco
City Ballet The Podcast returns with a new Hear the Dance episode exploring George Balanchine's Concerto Barocco. Host Silas Farley is joined by three former NYCB dancers whose engagement with this foundational ballet continues today: SAB Senior Faculty Chair Suki Schorer, Balanchine Repetiteur Victoria Simon, and SAB Faculty Member Meagan Mann. Together they trace the highlights and unique demands of Barocco's four distinct movements, describing how the apparent simplicity of the ballet demands plenty of hard work and helps build community amongst the dancers. (1:00:28) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, B.W.V. 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach Performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Kurt Nikkanen and Arturo Delmoni, Violin Soloists Aria with Variations in G, BWV 988 (1742), "The Goldberg Variations" by Johann Sebastian Bach Performed by Susan Walters, Pianist Reading List: 1. Repertory in Review: 40 Years of the New York City Ballet by Nancy Reynolds, with an Introduction by Lincoln Kirstein 2. Thirty Years: Lincoln Kirstein’s The New York City Ballet by Lincoln Kirstein 3. Balanchine and Kirstein’s American Enterprise by James Steichen 4. Suki Schorer on Balanchine Technique by Suki Schorer and Russell Lee 5. Balanchine Pointework by Suki Schorer 6. Balanchine Then and Now Edited by Ann Hogan 7. Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy with Sharon DeLano 8. Balanchine the Teacher: Fundamentals That Shaped the First Generation of New York City Ballet Dancers by Barbara Walczak and Una Kai 9. Balanchine Variations by Nancy Goldner 10. Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven by John Eliot Gardiner
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/34822940
info_outline
Episode 127: The Rosin Box: Re-mounting Ballets
11/25/2024
Episode 127: The Rosin Box: Re-mounting Ballets
Claire and Aarón are joined at The Rosin Box this week by Sandra Jennings, a former NYCB dancer who is now a repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust, for a conversation about staging ballets on current performers. As Sandra shares, she travels the world to coach companies of various ballet backgrounds in Mr. B's works, acting as a bridge between the choreographer's vision and the artists of today; as she explains, these ballets are "living, breathing works of art" that are brought to life by the individual dancers. (59:26) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/34128281
info_outline
Episode 126: The Rosin Box: Company Class
11/18/2024
Episode 126: The Rosin Box: Company Class
This week, hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz take the podcast from The Rosin Box to the barre for a conversation about company class, joined by Corps de Ballet Member Christina Clark and former NYCB dancer and current class teacher Amanda Edge. They talk all things real estate, fashion, and Destiny's Child vs. Ludwig Minkus, highlighting the importance of this daily ritual for building a sense of community as well as personal growth. (53:40) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/33959567
info_outline
Episode 125: The Rosin Box: Ballet Myths
11/11/2024
Episode 125: The Rosin Box: Ballet Myths
The Rosin Box returns! Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz are back with another candid conversation, joined this time by Principal Dancer Unity Phelan and Corps de Ballet Member Naomi Corti. They break down some of the most common myths about ballet and Company culture, from whether performers are like the characters in Black Swan to the pros and cons of dating other dancers, and what the perfect "ballerina pedicure" entails. (49:12) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/33872997
info_outline
Episode 124: New Combinations: Caili Quan
09/30/2024
Episode 124: New Combinations: Caili Quan
Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is back for a New Combinations conversation with Caili Quan, one of three women choreographers whose ballets make up this year's Fall Fashion Gala program. They discuss Quan's path from studying dance while growing up on Guam to moving to New York City and performing with BalletX for eight seasons, and her transition to full-time choreography. Quan shares the ways her culture, family, and sense of home emerge within the work and contribute to the "warmth, grace, and generosity of spirit" Whelan felt when watching Quan in the studio. Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/33261517
info_outline
Episode 123: Hear the Dance: Everywhere We Go
09/23/2024
Episode 123: Hear the Dance: Everywhere We Go
This week, host Silas Farley is back for another fascinating Hear the Dance conversation exploring Everywhere We Go. Silas is joined by Resident Choreographer Justin Peck and former Company Member Gretchen Smith, who met when they were barely teenagers dancing at the San Francisco Ballet School and collaborated several times over the ensuing years. Justin describes his development as a dance maker leading up the 2014 premiere, as well as his unique creative partnership with composer Sufjan Stevens, while Gretchen shares how dancing the ballet is "sheer joy." (57:19) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Everywhere We Go (2014) by Sufjan Stevens All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet Edited by Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel and Jill Nunes-Jensen Illinoise Broadway Musical: An In-Depth Review and Guide to the Illinois Theatre Play of Sufjan Stevens and Justin Peck Unveiling the Cast, Profile of Creators, Production Journey, Behind the Scenes, and Impact of the Show by Naomi Jeffrey Marcel Dzama: The Book of Ballet by Marel Dzama, Justin Peck, and Hans Christian Andersen Words Without Music: A Memoir by Philip Glass
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/33145837
info_outline
Episode 122: See the Music: Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2
09/16/2024
Episode 122: See the Music: Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2
This week's episode of City Ballet The Podcast is a previously recorded See the Music presentation hosted by NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton. Accompanied by the Orchestra and Solo Pianist Susan Walters, Maestro Litton describes why Tschaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2—the score for the Balanchine ballet of the same name—is less frequently performed than his first, despite being beloved by soloists and rich with beautifully romantic flourishes. Balanchine considered Tschaikovsky a "soulmate," a feeling borne out by his ability to make the composer's slightly less-genius works great with his choreography. (15:57) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Piano Concerto No. 2 in G, Op. 44 (1879-80) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/33046017
info_outline
Episode 121: Hear the Dance: Duo Concertant
09/09/2024
Episode 121: Hear the Dance: Duo Concertant
City Ballet The Podcast returns just in time for the upcoming 24-25 Season. Hear the Dance host Silas Farley is joined by legendary former Principal Dancer and current School of American Ballet faculty member Kay Mazzo and Principal Dancer Anthony Huxley to discuss George Balanchine's Duo Concertant, one of the new works to premiere during the 1972 Stravinsky Festival. Mazzo shares her memories of the speed with which Balanchine choreographed each of the four movements, and commiserates with Huxley on the many unique challenges the ballet presents, including interacting with the piano and violin that share the stage—a "commentary on the festival itself," in Farley's words, as it honored Stravinsky's music and his importance to the Company. (48:57) Written by Silas Farley Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: Stravinsky and Balanchine: A Journey of Invention by Charles M. Joseph Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans Stravinsky’s Ballets by Charles M. Joseph Stravinsky Inside Out by Charles M. Joseph An Autobiography by Igor Stravinsky Stravinsky: A Creative Spring: Russia and France, 1882-1934 by Stephen Walsh Stravinsky: The Second Exile: France and America, 1934-1971 by Stephen Walsh Stravinsky: Chronicle of a Friendship by Robert Craft Stravinsky: Discoveries and Memories by Robert Craft The Stravinsky Festival of The New York City Ballet by Nancy Goldner Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy Balanchine Variations by Nancy Goldner
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/32965082
info_outline
Episode 120: Bonus: 23-24 Season Wrap-Up
06/17/2024
Episode 120: Bonus: 23-24 Season Wrap-Up
As the Company concludes a Diamond Anniversary season absolutely bursting with repertory favorites, new restorations, world premieres, and successful tour stops around the world, Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan talk about what went into planning and presenting the year's many achievements. From triumphant debuts to the return of dancers featured in NYCB's original opening night 75 years ago, and a number of significant firsts on the Company's stage—including the first new work from Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky, the first Black Dewdrops in George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®, and the first non-binary pas de deux in Justin Peck's The Times Are Racing—they had much to celebrate, all while looking toward NYCB's, and the artform's, ever-expanding future. (40:43) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (1929) by Igor Stravinsky Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 (1875) by Peter Ilyitch Tschaikovsky
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31765017
info_outline
Episode 119: The Rosin Box: Ask the Dancer
06/10/2024
Episode 119: The Rosin Box: Ask the Dancer
One of our favorite episodes of The Rosin Box has arrived: this season's Ask the Dancer! Hosts Claire and Aarón are joined by Corps de Ballet Member India Bradley to answer your questions and dish about everything dance life, from what's in her dance bag to the ballet that "woke her up" to the possibilities of ballet, which are her favorite costumes and how she likes to prepare for a performance, and beyond. (46:11) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31660892
info_outline
Episode 118: The Rosin Box: Dancing Your Way Out of It
06/03/2024
Episode 118: The Rosin Box: Dancing Your Way Out of It
This week, hosts Claire and Aarón are joined at The Rosin Box by Soloist Megan LeCrone who gets real about what happens when things do not go as planned onstage. As they all agree, a certain degree of unpredictability is unavoidable in a live performance art like ballet; knowing how to pivot and when to let go after the fact is essential for any dancer. Megan shares her own experiences with a malfunctioning backdrop in one case and a missed count in another, and what it's like to face the challenges—and thrive—in a "rite of passage" show. (53:30) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31559302
info_outline
Episode 117: The Rosin Box: Behind the Scenes of the Spring Gala
05/27/2024
Episode 117: The Rosin Box: Behind the Scenes of the Spring Gala
This week, The Rosin Box makes its star-studded season debut with an episode all about NYCB galas. Listen in on live coverage from the most recent red carpet with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz, and a post-fête conversation with Corps de Ballet Member and style maven Olivia Boisson. They'll discuss all the glitz and glamour and give helpful tips for thriving at these thrilling, twice-a-year events—including making the transition from pointe shoes to sky-high heels. (39:31) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31463012
info_outline
Episode 116: See the Music: Scènes de Ballet
05/20/2024
Episode 116: See the Music: Scènes de Ballet
This week, Associate Music Director Andrews Sill invites us to See the Music of Igor Stravinsky's Scènes de Ballet, the eponymous score for Christopher Wheeldon's 1999 work. Sill relates that the piece was composed in 1944 for Broadway impresario Billy Rose, and drew inspiration from both world events and a variety of creative sources—including the ballet Giselle—as with so many of Stravinsky's singular compositions. (12:49) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Scènes de Ballet (1944) by Igor Stravinsky, Performed by Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Who Cares?: The Man I Love (1924) by George Gershwin, Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Scènes de Ballet (1944) by Igor Stravinsky, Performed by BBC Symphony Orchestra
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31358282
info_outline
Episode 115: New Combinations: Dig the Say
05/13/2024
Episode 115: New Combinations: Dig the Say
New Combinations host and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan is joined by Principal Dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia, the performers of the latest world premiere work created on the Company: Resident Choreographer Justin Peck's Dig the Say. Roman shares the way in which the ballet was tailor made for the two dancers, in the mode of a "modern day Tarantella," in Tiler's words, that capitalizes on their history of partnering in some of the most challenging works in the repertory. Imbued with a sense of competition yet always playful and fun, they both relish Peck's invitation to contribute to the ballet's shape, invigorated by the live jazz score. (45:18) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31241222
info_outline
Episode 114: See the Music: Pictures at an Exhibition
05/06/2024
Episode 114: See the Music: Pictures at an Exhibition
This week, NYCB Music Director Andrew Litton leads us on a promenade through the Modest Mussorgsky score to Alexei Ratmansky's 2014 ballet Pictures at an Exhibition. Beginning with a little background on the composer's short but complicated life, colored by contemporary critiques of his "disregard" for musical conventions, Litton is joined by Piano Soloist Stephen Gosling as he demonstrates the ways in which Mussorgsky captured the subjects of a beloved artists' paintings in remarkably challenging piano pieces. (23:31) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky Pictures at an Exhibition (1874) by Modest Mussorgsky
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31114348
info_outline
Episode 113: Hear the Dance: Herman Schmerman
04/29/2024
Episode 113: Hear the Dance: Herman Schmerman
This week, Hear the Dance host Silas Farley is joined by three dancers who know William Forsythe's 1992 ballet Herman Schmerman well: Original cast members Jeffrey Edwards and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, and current interpreter Tiler Peck. Edwards and Whelan recall the unique physical and artistic challenges Forsythe's choreography posed, particularly as he called for improvisation and constant change in the studio—sometimes up until the dancers hit the stage. For Peck, Forsythe is as essential a creator as a mentor, particularly as her own career as a choreographer takes off. (59:13) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Behind the China Dogs (1988) by Leslie Stuck The Four Sections (1987) by Steve Reich Just Ducky (1992) by Thom Willems 200 Press (2014) by James Blake Reading List: William Forsythe and the Practice of Choreography: It Starts From Any Pointe Edited by Steven Spier William Forsythe Edited by Senta Driver The Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Ballet Edited by Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel and Jill Nunes Jensen
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/31015973
info_outline
Episode 112: New Combinations: Amy Hall Garner
04/22/2024
Episode 112: New Combinations: Amy Hall Garner
As we prepare for opening night of Spring performances, Associate Artistic Director and New Combinations host Wendy Whelan catches up with sought-after choreographer Amy Hall Garner between rehearsals for her first commission for NYCB, premiering in just over a week. Garner shares the long, dance-rich journey—including summer sessions at the School of American Ballet, studying modern, tap, and jazz, and performing on Broadway—that led to this moment in her dance-making career. "I love being in the studio," she says of the creative process. "I think that's a sacred space." (40:04) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/30904293
info_outline
Episode 111: Hear the Dance: Law of Mosaics
04/15/2024
Episode 111: Hear the Dance: Law of Mosaics
City Ballet The Podcast is back! In the lead up to the return of two of Pam Tanowitz's ballets to the stage this spring—Gustave le Gray No. 1, from 2019, and Law of Mosaics, which premiered in 2022—Former Principal Dancer Russell Janzen and current Soloist Miriam Miller join Hear the Dance host Silas Farley to discuss working with the singular choreographer. As both dancers describe, Tanowitz's unique approach to ballet and generosity in the studio make familiar steps new, freeing the performers to challenge themselves and discover new aspects of their own artistry. (1:14:37) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Reading List: Reality Hunger: A Manifesto by David Shields Béla Bartók by David Cooper The Prickly Rose: A Biography of Viola Farber by Jeff Slayton Merce Cunningham by Roger Copeland Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Law of Mosaics (2012) by Ted Hearne All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/30818983
info_outline
Episode 110: The Rosin Box: Partnering
03/18/2024
Episode 110: The Rosin Box: Partnering
This week at The Rosin Box, hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz are joined by NYCB dancers and "real-life" couple Emily Kikta and Peter Walker to talk about partnering—onstage and off. Peter and Aarón share their memories of learning from legendary former Principal Dancer Jock Soto, who taught partnering at the School of American Ballet when they were students, while Claire and Emily reflect on the ways in which pas de deux challenge their stamina while offering opportunities to take risks. The most important element for a successful partnership, they all agree, is simple, if not always easy: communication. (56:23) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/30393503
info_outline
Episode 109: The Rosin Box: Wellness
03/11/2024
Episode 109: The Rosin Box: Wellness
Hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Aarón Sanz are back at The Rosin Box, joined by Corps de Ballet Member and Get Golden founder Jenelle Manzi. Jenelle describes her journey to the stage and how struggles with injuries and food allergies inspired her to start crafting her own anti-inflammatory recipes. As she shares, a stray comment from a colleague on the tour bus to the Kennedy Center sparked the formation of her business, which she runs alongside performing full-time with the Company. (40:49) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/30301023
info_outline
Episode 108: The Rosin Box: Costume Shop
03/04/2024
Episode 108: The Rosin Box: Costume Shop
The Rosin Box returns for another round of candid conversations with hosts Claire Kretzschmar and Soloist Aarón Sanz. This week, they're joined by NYCB Director of Costumes Marc Happel to talk all things tutus and beyond. Happel shares his journey to the Company's storied costume shop, where decades ago Co-Founder George Balanchine collaborated with Barbara Karinska on the innovative powderpuff tutu, and artisans fit and craft costumes for today's dancers under Happel's direction. (43:32) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/30199358
info_outline
Episode 107: See the Music: Symphony in Three Movements
02/05/2024
Episode 107: See the Music: Symphony in Three Movements
In this week's See the Music episode, we revisit a 2013 live presentation with host and Associate Music Director Andrews Sill, exploring Igor Stravinsky's 1945 composition Symphony in Three Movements, the score for the George Balanchine ballet of the same name. With help from the New York City Ballet Orchestra, Maestro Sill highlights the musical "nuts and bolts" of this galvanizing piece, and outlines some of the cinematic and real-world inspirations for its taut construction and powerful impact. (14:39) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Symphony in Three Movements (1945) by Igor Stravinsky All music performed by New York City Ballet Orchestra
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/29783793
info_outline
Episode 106: Hear the Dance: Liebeslieder Walzer
01/29/2024
Episode 106: Hear the Dance: Liebeslieder Walzer
Silas Farley is back with another deep dive into the Company's repertory in this week's Hear the Dance episode, devoted to George Balanchine's Liebeslieder Walzer. Farley is joined by former Principal Dancers Bart Cook and Maria Calegari, who share their memories of watching the ballet's iconic interpreters in its initial incarnations; learning individual parts within the challenging but "sublime" work; and coaching Liebeslieder in its entirety. As they describe, the ballet was like a "gift from Europe," for which many dancers have needed to learn the waltz anew—in the countless three-quarter versions Balanchine devised. (57:03) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Liebeslieder, Op. 52 (1869) by Johannes Brahms Neue Liebeslieder, Op. 65 (1874) by Johannes Brahms Waltzes for piano duet and vocal quartet, all set to poems by Friedrich Daumer, except last, by Goethe All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: Balanchine Then and Now Edited by Anne Hogan Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans Balanchine: A Biography by Bernard Taper George Balanchine: Ballet Master by Richard Buckle in Collaboration with John Taras Following Balanchine by Robert Garis More Balanchine Variations by Nancy Goldner Johannes Brahms: A Biography by Jan Swafford Brahms and His Poets: A Handbook by Natasha Loges Ballerina: A Biography of Violette Verdy by Victoria Huckenpahler Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses by Robert Tracy and Sharon DeLano Goethe: Life as a Work of Art by Rüdiger Safranski, Translated by David Dollenmayer Costumes by Karinska by Toni Bentley
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/29667603
info_outline
Episode 105: New Combinations: Tiler Peck
01/22/2024
Episode 105: New Combinations: Tiler Peck
In the latest New Combinations episode, Associate Artistic Director and host Wendy Whelan chats with Principal Dancer Tiler Peck about memories from their time dancing together and Tiler's upcoming choreographic debut with the Company. Tiler describes how her internal sense of musicality drives her choreographic practice as much as her work as a performer, and shares that this commission from New York City Ballet came at exactly the right time—the dancers' happiness and enthusiasm in the studio were "exactly what she needed." (37:56) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Sisyphus" by Andrew Wegman Bird Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. as agent for Muffet Music Co
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/29562198
info_outline
Episode 104: Hear the Dance: In the Night
01/15/2024
Episode 104: Hear the Dance: In the Night
City Ballet The Podcast launches this season with a new Hear the Dance conversation, guest hosted by Silas Farley, who is joined by three generations of dancers who are well acquainted with Jerome Robbins' In the Night. Former Principal Dancer Kay Mazzo originated the lead role in the ballet's first movement, about "young love"; Repertory Director Christine Redpath took over coaching the ballet from colleague Victor Castelli; and Principal Dancer Unity Phelan is performing the lead role in the tempestuous third movement. As they discuss, In the Night's power resides in its effective representation of human relationships and what the choreography reveals of its dancers' inner lives; in Unity's words, "You get to really be yourself—to dig down inside yourself and find something you didn't know you had." (46:54) Written by Silas Farley Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major (1931) by Igor Stravinsky Nocturne Opus 27, No. 1 (1835); Nocturnes Opus 55, No. 1 and No. 2 (1843); Nocturne Opus 9, No. 2 (1830-1831) for solo piano by Frédéric Chopin All music performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra Reading List: Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill Jerome Robbins, by Himself: Selections from His Letters, Journals, Drawings, Photographs, and an Unfinished Memoir by Jerome Robbins, Edited by Amanda Vaill Jerome Robbins: A Life in Dance by Wendy Lesser Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times by Alan Walker Ballerina: A Biography of Violette Verdy by Victoria Huckenpahler Far from Denmark by Peter Martins
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/29473923
info_outline
Episode 103: The Rosin Box: Pointe Work
11/27/2023
Episode 103: The Rosin Box: Pointe Work
This week, Soloist Sara Adams joins hosts Claire Kretzschmar and fellow Soloist Aarón Sanz at The Rosin Box to talk pointe shoes, from the first dancer to popularize dancing en pointe to all the sewing, banging, and prepping required to get this iconic footwear ready for a performance. Sara discusses her own history with pointe shoes and shares an array of tips and tricks, revealing just how often she changes to a fresh pair during a run of George Balanchine's The Nutcracker®. (46:37) Edited by Emilie Silvestri Music: "Je ne t’aime plus" by Pink Martini Courtesy of Pink Martini & Heinz Records
/episode/index/show/cityballet/id/28780758